Opposing coach believes West Virginia could be a 'surprise contender' in the Big 12

West Virginia enters the 2024 season coming off of its best season yet under Neal Brown, and one Big 12 coach thinks it could continue. The Mountaineers were predicted to finish last place in the conference this past season but ended 9-4 and tied for fourth place.

They return several key pieces including starting quarterback Garrett Greene and left tackle Wyatt Milum, the highest-graded returning offensive tackle in the Big 12 according to Pro Football Focus. One opposing Big 12 coach offered his take on WVU in Athlon Sports’ 2024 College Football Preview magazine, even going as far as to call them a sleeper to win the conference championship.

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“Neal Brown is a successful program manager and never really showed any of the strain from the hot seat,” the coach said. “It’s hard to tell how much they’ve turned a corner, a lot of that depends on if they can help Garrett Greene elevate. He could be a top quarterback in the nation if there’s support around him. …Defensively, they’re returning a lot of guys who were decent last year, not spectacular.

“There are a lot of similarities to Neal’s time at Troy; he’s going to build and find that right culture and then it takes off. They could be a surprise contender for the league title if everything goes right on offense. A lot of those freshman last year could really break out this year.”

Greene threw for 2,406 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions this past year in his first season as the full-time starter. He also showed off an ability to make plays on the ground with 772 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns to rank third on the team.

West Virginia should remain among the top rushing attacks in the country after ranking fourth in the country with 228.9 ground yards per game. The Mountaineers also bring back the tandem of CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White, who should again split carries this season.

WVU also returns nine out of the top 20 players with the most snaps last season on defense. That includes safeties Anthony Wilson and Aubrey Burks, who should hold down the unit after combining for 127 tackles, nine passes defended and three interceptions.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about West Virginia especially with the new teams added to the Big 12 and Oklahoma and Texas gone. The Mountaineers will certainly be a team to keep an eye on when they play their first conference game against Kansas on Sept. 21.